Introduction 1. ON LOVE The Seed Jar Mr. Gillespie Night Watch Turn Back The Little Red Wagon John Does God Care About Lost Dogs? Rufus One Wing and a Prayer Nonny The Light Was On Scarecrow Best Friends Forever The Giving Trees An Elf’s Tale The Beloved Ben and Virginia Don’t Hope, Friend... Decide! Love That Lasts The Beauty of Love The Decade Diary: A Love Story Could You Have Loved as Much? A Gift-Wrapped Memory A Tribute to Gramps The Canarsie Rose 2. ON PARENTS AND PARENTING The Pitcher Hall of Fame Dad The Puzzle My Dad’s Hands One Small Stone, Unforgotten Sending Kids Off to School Let’s Go Bug Hunting More Often A Mother’s Day Review What I Want My Dad Father’s Day A Lesson from My Son Blessed Are the Pure in Heart Slender Thread Neither Have I The Thing About Goldfish 3. ON TEACHING AND LEARNING The Day We Became Brothers Drop Earrings A Genius for Loving Thank You for Changing My Life When Children Learn Academic Excellence Begins with a’51 Studebaker The Second Mile Do You Disciple? It’s a House...It’s a Cow...It’s Ms. Burk! What Color Are You? 4. ON DEATH AND DYING To Those I Love Tommy’s Shoes Broken Days Every Loss Is a Mini-Death The Funeral Karen, Do You Know Him? The Horizon Keeping the Connection Love Letters Crying’s Okay A Blanket for a Friend When No Words Seem Appropriate The Rose with No Thorns The Butterfly Gift 5. A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE Action Hero Who Was That Masked Man? In a Cathedral of Fence Posts and Harleys Jackie Robinson and Me Department Store Angel "Hey Nurse...Thanks" The Little Black Box Dinner Out Home vs. Visitors The Power of a Promise The Crooked Smile The Most Beautiful Flower 6. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Rodeo Joe No Excuses Good Enough Consider This The Miracle of Love Medically Impossible One Step at a Time A Mother’s Search The Purpose Soccer Balls and Violins A Father’s Calling A Turning Point A Match Made in Heaven Puppy Love Giant in the Crowd 7. ECLECTIC WISDOM The Best Time of My Life josh and His Jag Grass A Good Heart to Lean On The Golden Rule The Train Ride True Forgiveness Spelling Bee Grandpa’s Little Girl Lessons You Learned Acknowledgments